


Ichihime go to Tanabata

by MorganFaire



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28513560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganFaire/pseuds/MorganFaire
Summary: As the title suggests, Ichigo and Orihime attend the Tanabata festivities in Karakura!Tanabata is a celebration of the love story of The Weaver Princess [Orihime] and The Cattle-Herd [Hikoboshi].* Loosely follows the 'timeline' established in the light novel 'We Do knot Always Love You' by Matsubara Makoto), which suggests Ichigo and Orihime don't get together until after Rukia & Renji's wedding.
Relationships: Inoue Orihime/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	Ichihime go to Tanabata

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! In case you've not read any of my other stuff, you should know that I really like to maintain some 'authenticity' to my posted works in the form of keeping some words/phrases in Japanese. But fear not, because these are not written in kanji/hiragana/katakana, but in romaji! These are displayed in bold italics, and if you scroll to the endnotes, I even have translations and explanations!

**Central Karakura Town's Tanabata Festival Plaza**

**2006/07/07. Friday, 19:00.**

Elaborate paper decorations hang from the streetlamps, trees and the entryways to the festival. Branches of bamboo, already laden with _**tanzaku**_ , had been affixed to the railings of the staircase at which Ichigo stands at the bottom. They had arranged to meet at the eastern entrance to the festival area, because it was the most convenient point between both of their jobs. Ichigo pulls out his phone once again and watches as the time display ticks over to 7PM. It was now the time they had decided to meet, but Ichigo had arrived some ten minutes earlier, thanks to the advice of just about every female in his life. He knows he's completely clueless when it comes to dating, but he wants to -- _needs to --_ prove himself.

"Ichigo~!" As he's done for the past three months, he smiles at the way she says his name. After so many years of her calling him 'Kurosaki-kun', and him calling her 'Inoue', the newfound informality always sends his heart out of rhythm for a few beats. Tucking his phone away, he looks up just as she reaches him. "Happy Tanabata, Ichigo," she says with a grin.

She wears a **_yukata_ **navy blue in colour with a design of pale pink flowers, and a matching pink **_obi_**. Her hair is swept back into a bun, and her hibiscus shield pins hold her fringe behind her ears. "Woah," he says almost without thinking. "Orihime, you look beautiful," he adds before pulling her into an embrace.

"I had some help," she admits, breathing in the smell of his skin.

He laughs briefly into the top of her head before letting her go. "And I had Yuzu nagging me not to wear anything black," he says. His own outfit is comprised of a navy blue _**hakama** _with a cornflower blue kimono and **_haori_**. "And I said it was fine by me, 'cos I didn't want to wear anything that'd look like my _**shihakushou** _anyway."

"That makes sense," she says with a nod before looking to the stairs behind him. "Shall we?"

Ichigo nods and takes her hand into his, tightly interlocking their fingers before climbing the stairs next to her.

The festival plaza is a spectacle of brightly coloured paper ornaments and lanterns, and filled with the sounds of street vendors attracting customers of all ages for purchases of trinkets, drinks, and snacks. Delving into her purse, Orihime retrieves a pamphlet and holds it up to him triumphantly. "I got this from the tourism bureau near work," she explains briefly as she opens it. "It's got a map with a list of vendors, and a timetable for the different performances!"

Ichigo moves behind her to look at the pamphlet over her shoulder. "Karakura has its own tourism bureau?"

Orihime looks up at him with a puzzled expression before giggling. "I think every town has a tourism office of some kind these days, Ichigo."

"I guess that makes sense," he admits before placing a quick peck on her lips. "So, what's first on the agenda?"

Her cheeks flush from the sudden and unexpected kiss - that was the first time they had kissed in public. "Well there is one thing," she manages to say after recomposing herself. "It's kinda like a tradition, I think. Besides hanging ornaments and making wishes, I mean."

"Sounds good," he replies as they start walking again. A knot appears in his forehead when he spots her still flushed cheeks and neck. "I know some people aren't really into the whole public affection stuff, so that kiss just then can be a one time thing, if you'd prefer."

Orihime loops her arm around his and rests her head on his shoulder. "I liked it. It just kinda took me by surprise!"

"So you wouldn't mind if I did it more?" He asks, punctuating each word with a kiss into her strawberry scented hair.

"No, but that tickles! I think the thing I wanted to try is around here somewhere, so could you find somewhere for us to sit? I'll be back soon!"

He pretends not to know where she's going and smiles to himself when she walks away with her purse bouncing off of her hip. Finding a bench doesn't take much effort, and the one he chooses overlooks the river that runs through the town and beyond.

She returns almost ten minutes later balancing two cardboard trays. "Ta-da!" She announces when she sets them down on the table in front of them.

Two large and golden fish-shaped treats look up at him from the trays. "Ice-cream _**taiyaki**_?!" He asks, sliding one of the trays closer to himself. "I'm guessing this one's mine," he adds before pointing at the strange coloured ice-cream swirls protruding from the taiyaki still in the middle of the table.

"Of course," she confirms. "Yours is vanilla-bean ice-cream with _**anko. Itadakimasu,**_ Ichigo!"

"Should I even ask what's in yours?"

The top of her ice cream looks ready to topple off and she quickly catches the collapsing section with her tongue. “It’s not that strange!" She responds defensively. "The ice-creams are strawberry and pistachio, this swirl is marshmallow, and this other one is salted caramel,” she explains, pointing to each component in turn.  


“I suppose it could be worse.”

“It also has a honeycomb cream cheese at the bottom!”

“Of course it does!" He says with a dramatic eye roll. "If you like all this weird stuff already...” He stops himself from completing his thought, leaving it hanging awkwardly in the air between them.  


“Hm? Didn’t we agree to always say what we’re thinking?”

"We did, but I don’t wanna freak you out,” he admits while staring into the eye of his taiyaki.  


Orihime reaches for his hand and squeezes his fingers gently. When he looks up at her, she nods to indicate that he should continue. He also sees a splodge of ice-cream on the tip of her nose.  


“I was thinking,”--he reaches to wipe away the ice cream from her nose with his thumb--“Girls get all those crazy cravings when they’re expecting, and if you already eat all these wacky combinations, it just made me think what it might be like for you.”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll only want to eat ‘normal’ foods,” she replies nonchalantly before taking a bite of the fish's head.  


Ichigo's eyebrows shoot up. “You’ve thought about this?”

She nods slowly as she finishes chewing. “Mhm. Especially since finding out about Kuchiki-san and Abarai-kun. But I’m not saying that we should! At least, not yet. It’s only been a few months, and we haven’t…well, you know.” The flush returns to her face.  


“And there’s no rush,” he adds hastily, also feeling warm under his collar.  


Orihime looks pensive for what feels like an eternity to Ichigo. "But there's no harm in talking about it, right?"

**Author's Note:**

> Tanzaku - A long, narrow (rectangular) piece of card. Brightly coloured for tanabata, people write wishes/goals on them and attach them to bamboo branches.  
> Yukata - A type of kimono made of lighter fabric for wearing during hot seasons.  
> Obi - The 'belt' for a kimono. Women's obi can be very wide and long, requiring a bow to be tied into the back of it. Men also wear obi, but usually much narrower.  
> Hakama - Translates to 'formal divided skirt'. Worn over the top of a kimono.  
> Haori - A type of jacket worn with kimono.  
> Shihakushou - The 'official' term for the shinigami uniform.  
> Taiyaki - Crispy, golden, fried donut/pancake-type batter, in the shape of a fish. Usually sweet fillings, but there are savoury variations!  
> Anko - (Sweetened) Red bean paste. One of the more 'traditional' fillings for taiyaki.  
> Itadakimasu - Often said before eating, translates to 'I humbly receive'. Is often seen as being equivalent to 'bon appetit' or saying grace.
> 
> Hey again! If you enjoyed this, may I recommend a second Ichihime story I just posted?! 'Ichihime have a picnic' is now available from my profile!


End file.
